Kitsune
by Shinime
Summary: Origional characters, new setting, yadda yadda yadda. I'm not good at summaries. Queen Nanaka and Duke Nakatomi, angry at each other and stuff.
1. Ascension

Fox-spirit: Chapter One- Ascension  
  
"No! Mother!" Nanaka the black fox pleaded, holding on to her mother's paw. The Queen of the Midnight strained to look at her crying kit, her tear-streaked fur shiny in the candlelight. Queen Noako wheezed and coughed. She had been bedded for over a year, sickness slowly taking over her body. She opened her mouth to speak, "Nanaka Kitsune, I-" she coughed laboriously. The Princess of Foxes buried her head into her dying mother's fur. The Queen pushed her away slightly.   
"I wish you to be my successor... and... please... protect your brother..." she whispered and trailed off.  
The Queen of The Midnight breathed her last breath, and laid still. As first Nanaka merely whimpered, but her wailing slowly turned tumultuous. The princess's cries rang out through the quarters of forlorn castle. No soldier dared to come close to the weeping fox. When the princess calmed herself, she carefully took the intricately carved diadem of white gold and star sapphires from the departed monarch head. She placed it on her head and stood before her troops.  
"Th' Queen is dead. Long live th' Queen!" a bold stoat shouted, then was joined by others. The chant surpassed the yelp of Nakatomi, who had watched silently from the corner of the room. He charged forward, pushing the stoat, ferret and rat regiments aside and staring coldly at the newly crowned Queen Nanaka.  
"Silence!" He shouted in a stern voice. The room grew quiet, the cheering forgotten. Nakatomi glanced at his dead mother, "Bury her." He said simply. The soldiers were hesitant, but one glare from Nakatomi sent the troops into a frenzy.  
"Brother...? What is it?" Nanaka asked, looking into the pale blue eyes of her twin. He stared coldly back at her and she squirmed underneath the icy gaze.  
"Father said I would succeed the Kitsune Royal family!" He scowled, baring his fangs slightly.  
"Father is dead! Mother took over when he died, and dare I say she ruled a great deal finer than Fa-" She stopped with a start as Nakatomi slammed the stone wall next to her head with his paw. She flinched slightly, but glowered at him.  
"Do not insult the King of the Midnight!" He screamed.  
"King Noroku is dead! Queen Noako is dead! I will succeed them and lead the Kitsune kingdom!" Nanaka cried, her fangs divulged fully. Nakatomi took a step backward.   
"You will fail; and I shall acquire Kitsune castle." He said, leaving the room, exposing his fangs to the soldiers who got in his way, clicking his jaws and palpating his sword handle hung loosely around his waist. When he was out of sight, Nanaka stamped the ground with her foot, calling order to the frightened ranks. She growled as she took one last look at the door and said, "My weakling brother is of no threat to you cowards. I am Queen now, and no sibling or next of kin will ever threaten my position!"  
  
  
"My spoilt sister will never rule the land! I swear by the Kitsune royal family!" Nakatomi yelled, flinging a roasted woodpidgeon carcass out of the window. He turned to the luckless ranks in the room. He glared at his troops and brandished his blade at them, laughing as they cringed in the corner of the room.  
"You, there, Pawscum!" He said, pointing to a large rat. The vermin stepped forward, making sure a javelin was at claw's reach. Nakatomi perceived him looking away and snickered, "You want to kill me? Think I'm a threat to anyone?" He questioned, staring directly at the rat. His ice blue eyes pierced deeply into the unfortunate rat's blackened heart. Nakatomi broke the silent trance, "I'm only a threat to my sister! Tailscar!" He called a ferret's name. He hastily stepped forward a threw a smart salute.  
"Milord?" He asked. Nakatomi smirked and looked over the young ferret.  
"Tell Queen Nanaka," he said Queen with disgust, "That I need to speak with her now. Tell her it's urgent." He said the last word exasperatingly. He took a small beaker out of his pocket and filled it with spirits. He held it out to Pawscum.  
"Drink" He said bluntly, taking a small sip from the beaker. Pawscum took the glass and drank the wine carelessly. Nakatomi smiled as he was slowly choked by the poison at the bottom of the chalice. He turned to the remaining troops said, "I have to congratulate Nanaka on becoming the one-day Queen of the Kitsune Royal Family."  
  
  
Nanaka gazed over the starlit lake in the distance. From the balcony on the west side of Kitsune castle, a large, beautiful lake paraded in the horizon.  
Nanaka thought about her mother's last words. 'Protect your brother' rang in her head. 'Where was Nakatomi?' she thought, but then forgot about her concern when her eyes focused on the beautiful scene before her.  
The resplendent Lake Mizu, named after the Goddess who carved the depression into the soil long before; Mizumegami. Her eyes trailed to the clearing in the woodland that surrounded the pitiable castle. No matter how many times she looked towards the west wood of the citadel, her eyes were drawn to the mysterious grassland.  
"Queen Nanaka?" the ferret asked timidly, shaking her out of thought.  
"What is it?" Nanaka requested, annoyed. She glared at the soldier who dared to interrupt his Queen.  
"Milord Nakatomi is requestin' t' speak with ye." He said firmly.  
"Tell him I am busy." She said, turning again to the landscape. The stoat cleared his throat noisily.  
"What do you want now?" She growled back at him. He winced and said shakily, "H-he s-said it 'twas urgent, Queen." Nanaka glared at him, then shook her head and sighed exasperatingly.  
"What is your name, ferret?" It was more of a command than a question. He fumbled a salute and said sharply, "M'name is Tailscar."  
"I am looking for a new Captain, Tailscar. It would be good to be in my favor." She said, looking back at the grinning ferret. A long, white, furless scar ran down his stubby tail. She chuckled. 'probably just an accident as a babe.' She confirmed within herself. She passed the lit corridors quickly, wondering what Nakatomi wished to speak with her about. She shook her head and sighed, 'I know exactly what he wants to talk with me about. My monarchy.' She strained her golden eyes to become accustomed to the darkness. Nakatomi had no problem with nightvision, whereas Nanaka strained to see even with a small amount of light. She rounded another corner and entered a portal. Nanaka glared dimly at the form of her brother. He grinned at her and poured Sommerland Wine for them both, the small beaker glinted in the faint light that supplied from the metal sconce upon the wall.   
"I apologize for my outburst this morning. Please, drink." He said, handing Nanaka the poisoned goblet. Nanaka daintily took a small sip, Nakatomi mentally urging her to quaff it as Pawscum had earlier.  
"I accept your apology, brother. Or should I say, Duke Nakatomi." She smiled, taking another sip from the bauble. Nakatomi's eyes slowly became bloodshot, waiting for her to take the fatal swill.  
"Titles are unimportant. Please, drink!" He said in a more commanding tone than expected. Nanaka glared untrustingly at the beaker, then abruptly threw it on the floor with a clang, the poisoned chalice emptying on the stone floor. Her eyes narrowed to small slits as she glared at her brother. She drew her sword, which never left her side, from it's ornate sheath and brandished it, the dim light reflecting off it's spotless blade. Nakatomi, in turn, drew his own sword, notably resembling the blade his sibling carried. Nanaka cringed as she noticed small flecks of dried blood clinging to her brother's tarnished sword. She sighed, and sheathed her blade. Nakatomi looked startled, but complied by putting his own sword away.  
"Fighting will not solve this problem, brother. You are my sibling, and I must protect you, not fight you. But as I have seen your greed and lust for power has clouded your eyes and thought. You have tried to kill me, and that in unacceptable. I shall forgive you, but only because you are my last living blood relative." She turned away from her brother, and walked calmly towards the door.  
"I will kill you one day. Your forgiveness will not be rewarded, sister." He called to her. Nanaka's shrill laugh was heard, then amid the chuckling she scoffed, "I'll look forward to it, brother." 


	2. Runaway

Fox-spirit: Chapter two- Runaway   
  
"Pick up your paws, you lazy scum! We must get away from the castle before my sister awakens!" said the commanding Nakatomi, bringing up the rear of the horde by hitting the slow ones' footpaws with the hilt of his sword.  
"Why do we hav' ter leave th' castle?" a bold stoat asked his comrade. A rat turned to the stoat and said, "I dunno. Did yer 'ear about th' quarr'l th' Queen 'ad with Nakatomi? 'E tried t'kill 'er! I think Nanaka's too quick for 'im.-" the rat was cut off as he stared dumbly at the sword point that seemed to grow out of his middle. The stoat, Slimjaw, gawked at Nakatomi as he withdrew his blade from the back of the slain rat.  
"Never mention my sister's name," he snarled. Wiping the bloodied metal upon a patch of moss, he turned to the ranks and yelled, "I suppose all of you are wondering why we are leaving the castle," There was a murmur of 'yes' among the regiment, "I understand that some of you are former corsairs and rapscallions, used to plundering and killing. All of you just happened to enter my father's troops by chance. Your luck will be rewarded! As of now," his voice boomed, sending woodpigeons to fly off in the distance, "I will be known as Duke Nakatomi the Rapacious! Like a true Warlord and his horde, we will take what we want and all live like kings!" a tumultuous uproar ripped from the throats of the evil vermin, unknowingly waking the slumbering Queen Nanaka Kitsune.  
  
The Queen of The Midnight woke with a start. Not knowing what had roused her, she quickly ran to the main chamber of the castle, hoping to find her brother.  
"You! What is your name, rat?" She asked a vermin guarding the room.  
"Th' name's Throatlash, Queen." He said quickly.  
"Has Nakatomi passed by here?" Nanaka inquired, her golden eyes staring into the cold, gray ones of the stoat.  
"No, Milady. 'E left early this mornin'. 'E took 'alf th' troops, too. 'e must've said sumthin', I 'eard some noise come from outside." Said the rat, grinning slightly that he could give so much information to his Queen.  
"Nakatomi!" She yelled, running to the ramparts of the castle and looking down along the ground for signs of her brother, much to the surprise of the sentries on duty.  
"Nakatomi! Have you forgotten? You must come and kill me!" She yelled from the stronghold.  
"Lord Nakatomi's long gone, Queen." Said a brave stoat. Nanaka glared menacingly at the vermin.  
"Why, in the Kitsune name, would you let my brother out of the castle?" She said menacingly at the sentries on duty; two stoats and a rat.  
"We obeyed 'im, like we do ter ye, Queen Nanaka." the rat said from behind her. Like lightening, Nanaka spun around and drew her sword from it's decorative sheath, the blade quivering mere inches from the rat called Bloodrash.  
"Who is ruler, Bloodrash? Is Nakatomi ruler of the Kitsune royal family? And when is the last time you obeyed me 'like ye do ter 'im'?" she said, questioning her troops' loyalty.  
"I serve ye like I served yer fath'r." Said the quivering voice of Bloodrash.  
"Hah! You lie, rat," she removed the sword and sheathed it, "I will not make an example of you yet, vermin. But mark my words one day I will gain my troops' loyalty. I am no coward!" she stormed away, baring her fangs at the apprehensive regiment.  
"Nanaka's gone mad." A stoat whispered loudly to another like himself. The Queen spun around and threw her sword headlong at the two, slaying each instantly. She picked up the weapon and rubbed the blood along the back of a rat. She sheathed it quicky and tore off, leaving a trail of dust behind her. Nobeast dared to speak.  
  
Nanaka sat silently on the throne once belonging to her mother. She gazed up at the stained-glass windows displaying her ancestors. Nanashi the Obscure, Narashite the Deathringer, Nago the Wolf-Fang, even Namari the Leaden Hearted One.  
"Gather as many soldiers as you can," She broke the restraining silence, making the rat next to her jump, "bring them here." The vermin ran to do her bidding without question. Nanaka stared at the likeness of Namari, the tinted pane reflecting the light fully. It was an intimidating image, the ghostly black form of the First Kitsune carrying a weapon much like that of Nanaka's blade. The sword was positioned in front of Namari's face, obscuring her snout. The founder of Kitsune castle seemed to stare down into Nanaka's eyes with golden-hued, opalescent irises. Nanaka broke away from the trance, only to look upon the distrusting faces of the ranks of vermin before her. Her usual warm and gentle eyes took upon them a role of a fierce leader, and she began.  
"Duke Nakatomi has run away from the castle," she paused, "taking most of my army with him. Lord Nakatomi is my brother, and he does have a large command over my regiment. But," she stood up, staring at the likeness of Namari again, "that is unacceptable. He belongs here, and I will not let him leave. As my first order as Queen of Kitsune castle, I order you to search the woodlands for Duke Nakatomi, and bring him back at all costs!" 


End file.
